Plasma polymerization for encapsulating particles

Abstract

The present invention includes systems, methods and compositions for the encapsulation of particles. In one form, the system comprises one or more particles, a rotatable reaction chamber in a plasma enhanced chemical reactor to accept one or more particles, and at least one carbonaceous compound to be used in the rotatable reaction chamber, wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized onto a surface of one or more particles forming a polymer film encapsulating one or more particles. Using systems, methods, and compositions of the present invention, any particle encapsulated with a degradable or nondegradable polymer film may be introduced and/or released into an environment. The polymer film as well as introduction of encapsulated particles and release therefrom into an environment are controlled by the present invention.

1 . A system for encapsulating one or more particles comprising: 
 one or more particles;    a rotatable reaction chamber in a plasma enhanced chemical reactor to accept one or more particles; and    at least one carbonaceous compound to be used in the rotatable reaction chamber,    wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized onto a surface of one or more particles forming a polymer film encapsulating one or more particles.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more particles are selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical composition, food, semiconductor material, amino acid, protein, carbonaceous compound, nucleic acid, vitamins, mineral, elemental molecule, fatty acid, lipid, photolabile compound and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous compound is a carbon-containing monomer capable of polymerizing into a degradable or nondegradable polymer.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein polymer film formation is controlled by one or more reaction conditions selected from the group consisting of power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, quantity of particles, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein power input is selected from the group consisting of pulsed radio frequency and continuous wave radio frequency.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein applying pulsed radio frequency power promotes polymer film growth during plasma off time.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein increasing the plasma off time increases the density of monomeric functional groups retained in the polymer film.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein reducing the duty cycle increases one of the group consisting of retention of functional groups in the polymer film, polymer film growth during plasma off periods, hydrophilicity of a polar polymer film, hydrophobicity of a nonpolar polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein reducing peak power increases one of the group consisting of wettability of the polymer film, linearity in the structure of the polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein increasing coating time increases polymer film thickness.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein reducing the duty cycle reduces cross-linkages in the polymer film.  
     
     
         12 . A method for encapsulating one or more particles comprising the step of: 
 polymerizing at least one carbonaceous compound onto a surface of one or more particles to form a polymer film encapsulating one or more particles,    wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized in a rotatable reaction chamber of a plasma reactor using radio frequency power.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one or more particles are selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical composition, food, semiconductor material, amino acid, protein, carbonaceous compound, nucleic acid, vitamins, mineral, elemental molecule, fatty acid, lipid, photolabile compound and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the carbonaceous compound is a carbon-containing monomer capable of polymerizing into a degradable or nondegradable polymer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein polymer film formation is controlled by one or more reaction conditions selected from the group consisting of power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, quantity of particles, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein power input is selected from the group consisting of pulsed radio frequency and continuous wave radio frequency.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein applying pulsed radio frequency power promotes polymer film growth during plasma off time.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein increasing the plasma off time increases the density of monomeric functional groups retained in the polymer film.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein reducing the duty cycle increases one of the group consisting of retention of functional groups in the polymer film, polymer film growth during plasma off periods, hydrophilicity of a polar polymer film, hydrophobicity of a nonpolar polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein reducing peak power increases one of the group selected from wettability of the polymer film, linearity in the structure of the polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein increasing coating time increases polymer film thickness.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein reducing the duty cycle reduces cross-linkages in the polymer film.  
     
     
         23 . A system for encapsulating one or more pharmaceutical compositions comprising: 
 one or more pharmaceutical compositions;    a rotatable reaction chamber in a plasma enhanced chemical reactor to accept one or more pharmaceutical compositions; and    at least one carbonaceous compound to be used in the rotatable reaction chamber,    wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized onto a surface of one or more pharmaceutical compositions forming a polymer film encapsulating one or more pharmaceutical compositions.    
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more pharmaceutical compositions are selected from the group consisting of acetyl salicylic acid or 4-isobutyl-α-methylphenylacetic acid, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the carbonaceous compound is a carbon-containing monomer capable of polymerizing into a degradable or nondegradable polymer.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein polymer film formation is controlled by one or more reaction conditions selected from the group consisting of power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, quantity of particles, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein power input is selected from the group consisting of pulsed radio frequency and continuous wave radio frequency  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , herein applying pulsed radio frequency power promotes polymer film growth during plasma off time.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein increasing the plasma off time increases the density of monomeric functional groups retained in the polymer film.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein reducing the duty cycle increases one of the group consisting of retention of functional groups in the polymer film, polymer film growth during plasma off periods, hydrophilicity of a polar polymer film, hydrophobicity of a nonpolar polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein reducing peak power increases one of the group consisting of wettability of the polymer film, linearity in the structure of the polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein increasing coating time increases polymer film thickness.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein reducing the duty cycle reduces cross-linkages in the polymer film.  
     
     
         34 . A method for encapsulating one or more pharmaceutical compositions comprising the step of: 
 polymerizing at least one carbonaceous compound onto a surface of one or more pharmaceutical compositions to form a polymer film encapsulating one or more pharmaceutical compositions,    wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized in a rotatable reaction chamber of a plasma reactor using radio frequency power.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein one or more pharmaceutical compositions consisting of from the group consisting of acetyl salicylic acid or 4-isobutyl-α-methylphenylacetic acid, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the carbonaceous compound is a carbon-containing monomer capable of polymerizing into a degradable or nondegradable polymer.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , polymer film formation is controlled by one or more reaction conditions selected from the group consisting of power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, quantity of particles, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein power input is selected from the group consisting of pulsed radio frequency and continuous wave radio frequency.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein applying pulsed radio frequency power promotes polymer film growth during plasma off time.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein increasing the plasma off time increases the density of monomeric functional groups retained in the polymer film.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein reducing the duty cycle increases one of the group consisting of retention of functional groups in the polymer film, polymer film growth during plasma off periods, hydrophilicity of a polar polymer film, hydrophobicity of a nonpolar polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein reducing peak power increases one of the group consisting of wettability of the polymer film, linearity in the structure of the polymer film, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein increasing coating time increases polymer film thickness.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein reducing the duty cycle reduces cross-linkages in the polymer film.  
     
     
         44 . A composition prepared by the system of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         45 . A composition prepared by the method of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         46 . A composition prepared by the system of  claim 23 .  
     
     
         47 . A composition prepared by the method of  claim 34 .  
     
     
         48 . A system for controlling release of one or more particles into an environment, the system comprising: 
 one or more particles;    a rotatable reaction chamber in a plasma enhanced chemical reactor to accept one or more particles; and    at least one carbonaceous compound to be used in the rotatable reaction chamber,    wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized onto a surface of one or more particles forming a polymer film encapsulating one or more particles, and wherein one or more reaction conditions in the rotatable reaction chamber control polymer film formation and release of one or more particles into the environment.    
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein one or more reaction conditions are selected from the group consisting of power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, quantity of particles, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein increasing power input reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein increasing coating times reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein increasing power peak reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein increasing duty cycle reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         54 . A composition prepared by the system of  claim 48 .  
     
     
         55 . A method for controlling release of one or more particles into an environment, the method comprising the steps of: 
 polymerizing a carbonaceous compound onto a surface of one or more particles to form a polymer film encapsulating one or more particles; and    releasing encapsulated particles into one or more environments,    wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized in a rotatable reaction chamber of a plasma reactor and one or more reaction conditions in the rotatable reaction chamber control polymer film formation, and    wherein reaction conditions used in the rotatable reaction chamber control release of encapsulated particles into one or more environments.    
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein one or more reaction conditions are selected from the group consisting of power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, quantity of particles, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein increasing power input reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein increasing coating times reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein increasing power peak reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein increasing duty cycle reduces rate of release of particles into the environment.  
     
     
         61 . A composition prepared by the method of  claim 55.